Conveyor loading mechanism



Sept 17, 1957 F. D. ARAsso h CONVEYOR LOADING MECHANISM Original FiledDe'c.. 21, 1951 I 3 Sheetls-Sheet 1 INVENTOR FRED D.-MARASSO.

ATTORNEY Sept. 17, 1957 F. D. MARASSO CONVEYOR LOADING MECHANISMOriginal Filed Dec. 21, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.2

INVENTOR FRED/D. MARASSO BY M ATTORNEY United States Patent C) CONVEYORLOADING MECHANISM Fred D. Marasso, Joliet, Ill., assignor to UnionMachinery Company, a corporation of Illinois Original applicationDecember 21, 1951, Serial No. 262,744, now Patent No. 2,750,899, datedJune 19, 1956. Divided and this application May 22, 1956, Serial No.586,452

12 Claims. (Cl. 19831) This invention is a division of applicationSerial No. 262,744, filed December 21, 1951, and now Patent No.2,750,899, dated June 19, 1956, which relates to dividing, proofing,sheeting, molding and panning dough and dough products. This applicationrelates to an invention for loading a conveyor. In particular, itrelates to an invention for loading individual objects on a conveyor inregimented columns of a predetermined variable number.

In the bakery industry, in loading dough on a conveyor, as for example aproofer conveyor, it is usually desired to load the dough in series ofthree or series of four. Accordingly, it is an object of my invention todesign a means for loading such a conveyor in a pro-selected series ofthree or four. It is obvious that the invention is not limited toloading any particular number or combination of alternate numbers.

It is a further object of the invention to design a device forselectively loading a conveyor with alternative predetermined numbers ofobjects regimented in columnar order.

It is thus an object of my invention to design a crossfeed movingtransverse to the movement of a conveyor and to simultaneously depositon the conveyor a selected number of such objects.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my inventionare set forth with particularity in the appended claims, My inventionitself, however, both as to its organization and operation may beunderstood by reference to the apparatus embodying the invention andshown in the following description taken with the accompanying drawingsin which:

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation of the feeding mechanism shown inconjunction with a dough divider and a portion of a proofer conveyor;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a view of the drive control mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the control and drive mechanism of the feedconveyor taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

With reference to the drawings, the machine illustrated consists of adough dividing and rounding machine R, a cross-feed conveyor C and aproofer conveyor 'P. It is obvious that the proofer conveyor is shownonly for the purpose of illustration and could be any other conveyor onwhich it is desired to load a plurality of objects in transverse linearregimentation. The three units are designed to work togetherautomatically and synchronously. The automatic dough dividing androunding machine R, a portion of which is indicated in Fig. 1, is ofwell known design and construction and delivers successively roundedpieces of dough D into an inclined chute 20 leading to a horizontalrotating drum 22 which forms a part of the cross-feed conveyor C andrepresents the feeding station for the latter. The individual doughpieces D roll down the inclined chute 20 and into pockets 24 formed indrum 22. Since the latter continuously rotates in the direction of thearrow these dough pieces are transported to a position where they aresuccessively removed from pockets 24 by means of suitably shaped fingers26 which pass through annular slots or grooves 23 formed in drum 22 toremove the dough pieces D. Fingers 26 project from and form part ofindividual dough carriers 28 which are attached to and suspended betweena pair of spaced endless chains 30 (Fig. 4) of conveyor C. As eachindividual dough piece rolls down chute 20 and contacts pocket 24 in thedrum 22 it passes through a vertical chain mesh curtain 32 which isattached to and suspended from the L-shaped holder 34 adjustably held bya suitable bracket 36 secured to one of the side walls of the inclinedchute 20. Chain mesh curtain 32 breaks the momentum of the dough piecesat the bottom of chute 20, wipes off excess flour, and acts as aseparator for the individual dough lumps as they enter the individualpockets 24 of drum 22.

In order to properly synchronize the dough delivering and distributingdrum 22 with the cross-feed conveyor C at the receiving station of thelatter, the stud shaft 68 carries a sprocket '74 which through chain 76(Fig. 1 drives sprocket 78 mounted on shaft 80 which supports and towhich is secured the dough delivery drum 22.

As mentioned above, the cross-feed conveyor consists of a pair of spacedendless chains 30 to which are attached a plurality of spaced individualdough carriers 28. The latter are of the same design and construction asthe dough carriers illustrated and described in my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 207,781, filed January 25, 1951, and now PatentNo. 2,751,591. Each has a row of suitably shaped fingers 26 and a trapdoor 38. Carriers 28 pick up the dough pieces D from pockets of the drum22 and transport them, first upwardly and then horizontally, to a gatestructure 46 where several trap doors 38 simultaneously are released todrop their lumps of dough into respective dough compartments 42 of thegate structure 40. With this invention, however, each door 38 carrieslateral pins 504 which project sideward from the same and ride on a camrail 501 so that each door is kept closed from where it approaches thedrum 22 to the lateral cam plate 509 or 502.

As shown in Fig. 4, one lateral cam plate 500 has four steps and theother lateral cam plate 502 has three steps. It is understood that theapparatus could have any other desired number of steps in either camplate 5&0 or 502. The cam plates 500, 502 are arranged and connected toeach other in such a manner that when one plate is moved into operatingposition the other swings into an inoperative position (Figs. 2 and 4).

The pins 504 project from both sides of the hinged doors. The free endsare staggered at the right side as shown in Fig. 4 in groups of fourdifferent lengths and on the other side in groups of three differentlengths, thus each group corresponds in staggered number to the numberof steps on the cam plate on which it rides (Fig. 4). Thus when the fourstep cam plate to the right of Fig. 4 is in operating position four trapdoors 38 open simultaneously while when the cam plate 502 is inoperating position three doors 38 open simultaneously. The simultaneousopening of a predetermined number of doors, of course, means that apredetermined number of dough pieces are dropped simultaneously intransverse alignment onto any conveyor passing at right angles beneath.

Proofer conveyor P consists of a pair of spaced endless chains 134. Toone side of each chain is secured a plurality of spaced studs or pins136 arranged so that the pins of one chain are aligned with and pointtoward the pins of the other chain. Each aligned pair of pins pivotallyengage with the end plates 138 of the tray 48 so that it remains levelthroughout the course of the endless conveyor. The tray conveyor chains134 are driven by means of a pair of driving sprockets 140 mounted on ahorizontal shaft 142 supported by suitable bearings attached to the mainframe of the machine. By leading chains 134 over several pair of idleror guide sprockets (not shown) the tray conveyor makes several passes tosecure proper proofing time. In the subject invention it is unimportanthow the chains 134 go after passing the cross-feed conveyor C. Suchstructure is more particularly shown in Patent No. 2,750,899 of whichthis is a division and further description is not deemed necessary here.Suffice it to say that the chains make a run beneath the upperhorizontal run of the cross-feed conveyor C and in a directiontransverse thereto so that each tray 48 of conveyor P passes beneath thedough carriers 28 (Fig. 1) when they are passing over cam plate or 502.

The cross-feed conveyor C is driven continuously by means of a pair ofdriving sprockets 60. The two spaced conveyor chains 35 supporting thedough carriers 28 are led over three pairs of intermediate or guidesprockets 62, 64, 66 mounted on stud shafts 63, 79 and 72, respectively,all of which are supported in suitable bearing brackets secured to theframe of the machine.

The driving sprockets 60 for the conveyor chains 30 of the cross-feedconveyor C are mounted on a horizontal shaft 536 (Fig. 4) to which issecured a bevel gear 538 driven by a bevel gear 540 fastened to a shaft542. The latter is supported by suitable bearing brackets 544 attachedto the frame structure of the machine. To shaft 542 are also secured twosprockets 546, 548 which are of different diameters. Sprocket 546 bymeans of a chain 550 is connected to sprocket 552 while sprocket 548 bymeans of a chain 554 is connected to a sprocket 556. Sprockets 552 and556 are loosely mounted on a shaft 558. Shaft 558 is continuously driventhrough a sprocket 96 connected by a chain 98 to a sprocket 100 mountedon a drive shaft 102 protruding from a gear reduction unit 104 driven bymotor 118 through a belt 112. To shaft 558 is slidably keyed a clutchmember 560 located between the spaced hubs 553 and 557 of sprockets 552and 556, respectively. Each of said hubs is provided with a conventionalfemale clutch face while the clutch member 568 is provided with twoconventional male clutch faces. Said clutch member 560 is also providedwith an annular groove 562 which engages with the forked end of a clutchactuating arm 564 secured to a shaft 566 (Figs. 3 and 4). The latter isslidably supported in suitable bushings (not shown) of bearing brackets532, 533 which are also employed to support shaft 558. To one end ofshaft 566 is also secured a gear track 568 which engages with a gear 570mounted on shaft 528.

The four step cam plate 500 is supported by a plurality of arms 508 allof which are secured to a horizontal shaft 510 fulcrumed in suitablebearings of the frame structure. The three step cam plate 502 issupported by a plurality of arms 512 all of which are secured to ahorizontal shaft 514 also fulcrumed in suitable bearings of the framestructure. To one end of the shaft 510 is secured an arm 516 which, bymeans of a link 518, is connected to an arm 520 mounted to shaft 514(Fig. 2). To the latter is also secured another arm 522 which, by meansof a link 524, is connected to a hand or control lever 526 mounted on ahorizontal shaft 528 supported in suitable lugs 530 attached to abracket 432.

It is readily apparent from the drawings that if lever 526 is movedupward the four step cam plate 502 is brought into operating positionand the three step cam plate 502 is moved out of the path of theprojecting pins 504 into inoperative position. Movement of the lever 526downward brings the three step cam plate 502 into operating position andthe four step cam plate 500 into inoperative position. A toggle spring534 (Figs. 2 and 4) anchored at one end to the frame structure andhooked on the other end to arm 516 assures the proper arrest of camplates 500 and 502 in either position.

Since control lever 526 is secured to shaft 528 to which is also securedthe gear 570 it is apparent from the above description and illustrationin Figs. 2, 3 and 4 that an up or down movement'of lever 527 also causesa lateral shift of clutch member 560 which in turn effects anengagernent with clutch face of either hub 553 or 557. Therefore, whenlever 526 is in its upper position the four step cam plate 5% is inoperation position and clutch member 5% is in engagement with hub 553 ofsprocket 552 and imparts its driving rotation through sprocket 552,chain 559 and sprocket 546 to shaft 542 which through the formedconnections drives the cross-feed conveyor chains Sit which carries thedough carrier 28.

It should be here mentioned that the speed reduction box 1041 alsodrives the proofer conveyor P by means not here shown since thatstructure is fully described in my parent Patent No. 2,750,899, datedJuly 19, 1956. The particular structure of such driving means are notpart of the subject invention.

Since the cross-feed conveyor C is ultimately driven by clutch plate 560from the gear reduction unit 104, the purpose of the sprockets 552 and556 becomes apparent. When the cross-feed conveyor is dropping units ofthree it must travel at a relatively lower speed than when it isdropping units of four. Thus in the upward position of lever 526 thespeed of the conveyor chains 30 is timed and synchronized throughsprockets 552 and 546 to drop four rounded dough pieces D simultaneouslyinto tray 48 of the proofer conveyor as it passes beneath the doughcarriers 28. However, when lever 526 is moved to its downward positionand the three step cam plate is operating, only three dough pieces Ddrop into each conveyor tray. Drive to shaft 542 is then throughsprockets 556 and 548. The diameter of sprocket 548 is slightly largerthan that of sprocket 546 to provide greater reduction in the speed ofthe cross-feed conveyor chain 30.

Thus the speed change is automatically incorporated to operate from thecam selector 526.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited to theembodiments herein disclosed and that the terminology employed is forthe purpose of description and not limitation. Applicant therefore doesnot wish to be limited beyond the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a proofer conveyor, of a crossfeed device tofeed dough lumps to the proofing conveyor, said cross-feed comprising apair of spaced endless chains positioned in parallel planes extending atright angles to the planes of the proofer conveyor, with the upperportions of said chains extending above a portion of the prooferconveyor, a plurality of dough carriers supported by and movable withsaid pair of chains, said dough carriers each comprising a plurality ofoutwardly extending spaced fingers and a movable dough supportingmember, each of said dough supporting members being movable from a doughsupporting position to a dough releasing position, a rotary doughreceiving drum structure positioned adjacent the end portion of saidchains provided with a plurality of spaced peripheral dough receivingrecesses therein, said drum having a plurality of radially extendinggrooves therein between which the fingers of said dough carriers maysuccessively pass to remove dough from said recesses, said doughsupporting members having outwardly extending lugs on each side to holdsaid members in a dough supporting position when said lugs are engaged,the lugs on the one side of said members being staggered with respect tolugs of the other members in a group of a predetermined number, and thelugs on the other side being likewise staggered in groups but ofdifierent number, means to engage and support the lugs of one side andto simultaneously release a group of one number at a predeterminedpoint, said means being movable into an inoperative position, means onthe other side to engage and support said lugs and to simultaneouslyrelease members of the other numbered group, said means being movable toan inoperative position, a control connected to both of said supportingmeans to simultaneously move one supporting means into operativeposition and the other out of operative position, and unitary drivemeans to drive said cross feed device and said proofer conveyor, a drivelinkage between said unitary drive means and said cross feed conveyor,transmission means in said drive linkage having two predetermined speedratios, a clutch movable to engage the transmission means of higherratio and to disengage that lower of the other ratio, and links betweensaid control and said clutch whereby said clutch may be moved by saidcontrol.

2. The combination with a proofer conveyor, of a crossfeed device tofeed dough lumps to the proofing conveyor, said cross-feed comprising apair of spaced endless chains positioned in parallel planes extending atrigh angles to the planes of the proofer conveyor, with the upperportions of said chains extending above a portion of the prooferconveyor, a plurality of dough supporting members supported by andmovable with said pair of chains, each of said dough supporting membersbeing movable from a dough supporting position to a dough releasingposition, said dough supporting members having outwardly extending lugson each side to hold said members in a dough supporting position whensaid lugs are engaged, the lugs on the one side of said members beingstaggered with respect to lugs of the other members in a group of apredetermined number, and the lugs on the other side being likewisestaggered in groups but of diiferent number, means to engage and supportthe lugs of one side and to simultaneously release a group of one numberat a predetermined point, said means being movable into an inoperativeposition, means on the other side to engage and support said lugs and tosimultaneously release members of the other numbered group, said meansbeing movable to an inoperative position, a control connected to both ofsaid supporting means to simultaneously move one supporting means intooperative position and the other out of operative position, unitarydrive means to drive said cross-feed conveyor and said proofer conveyor,a drive linkage between said unitary drive means and said crossfeedconveyor, transmission means in said drive linkage having twopredetermined speed ratios, a clutch movable to engage the transmissionmeans of one ratio and to disengage that of the other ratio, and linksbetween said control and said clutch whereby said clutch may be moved bysaid control.

3. The combination with a proofer conveyor, of a cross-feed device tofeed dough lumps to the proofing conveyor, said cross-feed comprising apair of spaced.

endless chains positioned in parallel planes extending at right anglesto the planes of the proofer conveyor, with the upper portions of saidchains extending above a portion of the proofer conveyor, a plurality ofdough supporting members supported by and movable with said pair ofchains, each of said dough supporting members being movable from a doughsupporting position to a dough releasing position, said dough supportingmembers having outwardly extending lugs on each side to hold saidmembers in a dough supporting position when said lugs are engaged, thelugs on the one side of said members being staggered with respect tolugs of the other members in a group of a predetermined number, and thelugs .on the other side being likewise staggered in groups but ofdifferent number, means to engage and support the fingers of one sideand to simultaneously release a group of one number at .a predeterminedpoint, said means being movableinto an inoperative position, means onthe other side to engage and support said fingers and to simultaneouslyrelease members of the other numbered group, said means being movable toan inoperative position, a control connected to both of said supportingmeans to simultaneously move one supporting means into operativeposition and the other out of operative position, and drive means todrive said cross-feed device and said proofer conveyor.

4. The combination of a cross-feed conveyor for conveying dough lumps toa proofer conveyor, said crossfeed conveyor comprising endless spacedchains positioned in parallel planes extending at right angles to theplane of the proofer conveyor with a portion of said chains extendingabove .a portion of the proofer conveyor, dough supporting memberssuspended between said chains, means to deposit one by one dough lumpsinto said dough supporting members, said proofer conveyor comprising apair of spaced parallel endless chains, other dough supporting memberssupported transversely between said chains and capable of supporting aplurality of dough lumps on each member, means to release apredetermined number or first amount of dough lumps from a predeterminednumber of supporting members of the cross-feed conveyor to one of theother dough supporting members of the proofer conveyor, other means torelease a difierent predetermined number or second amount of dough lumpsfrom said cross-feed conveyor to said proofing conveyor, means to varythe relative rate of speed between said cross-feed conveyor and saidproofer conveyor as the proportion of the first amount to the secondamount, and further means to selectively employ one or the other of saidreleasing means and simultaneously the respective rate of speed.

5. In combination with a conveyor, a cross-feed device arranged to passtransversely across a portion of said conveyor, said cross-feed devicecomprising a pair of spaced endless chains positioned in parallel planesand at least a portion of said chains extending across said conveyor, aplurality of dough carriers supported by and movable with said chains,said dough carriers each comprising a plurality of outwardly extendingspaced fingers, each having a movable dough supporting member, each ofsaid dough supporting members being movable from a dough supportingposition to a dough releasing position, outwardly extending lugs securedto each side of said members in a dough supporting position to hold saidmembers in a dough supporting position when said lugs are engaged, thelugs on the one side of said members being staggered with respect to thelugs of the other members in a group of a predetermined number, the lugson the other side being likewise staggered but in groups of a differentnumber, means to engage and support the lugs of one side tosimultaneously release a group of one number at a predetermined pointalong a portion of said chains passing over said conveyor, said meansbeing movable into an inoperative position, further means on the otherside to engage and support said lugs and to simultaneously release themembers of the other ntunbered group, said further means being movableto an inoperative position, a control connected to both of saidsupporting means to simultaneously move one supporting means intooperative position and the other out of operative position, andsynchronous drive means to drive said crossfeed device and saidconveyor.

6. In combination with a conveyor, a cross-feed device arranged to passtransversely across a portion of said conveyor, said cross-feed devicecomprising a pair of spaced endless chains positioned in parallel planesand at least a portion of said chains extending across said conveyor, aplurality of dough carriers supported by and movable with said chains,said dough carriers each comprising a plurality of outwardly extendingspaced fingers, each having a movable dough supporting member, each ofsaid dough supporting members being movable from a dough supportingposition to a dough releasing position, outwardly extending lugs securedto each side of said members in a dough supporting position to hold saidmembers in a dough supporting position when said lugs are engaged, thelugs on the one side of said members being staggered with respect to thelugs of the other members in a group of a predetermined number, the lugson the other side being likewise staggered but in groups of a differentnumber, means to engage and support the lugs of one side tosimultaneously release a group of one number at a predetermined pointalong a portion of said chains passing over said conveyor, said meansbeing movable into an inoperative position, further means on the otherside to engage and support said lugs and to simultaneously release themembers of the other numbered group, said further means being movable toan inoperative position, a control connected to both of said supportingmeans to simultaneously move one supporting means into operativeposition and the other out of operative position, synchronous drivemeans to drive said cross-feed device and said conveyor, a drive linkagebetween said unitary drive means and said cross-feed device,transmission means in said drive linkage having two predetermined speedratios, a clutch movable to engage the transmission means of higherratio and to disengage the transmission means of the lower ratio, and alink between said control and said clutch whereby said clutch may bemoved by said control when said control is moved to alternate saidsupporting means.

7. A cross-feed device suitable for feeding a plurality of objects inlinear alignment to a conveyor, said crossfeed comprising a devicehaving a pair of spaced endless chains positioned in parallel planes, aplurality of dough supporting members supported by and movable with saidpairs of chains, each of said dough supporting members being movablefrom a dough supporting position to a dough releasing position, saiddough supporting members having outwardly extending lugs on each side tohold said members in a dough supporting position when said lugs areengaged, the lugs on the one side of said members being staggered withrespect to the lugs of the other members in a group of a predeterminednumber, and the lugs on the other side being likewise staggered ingroups but of difierent number, means to engage and support the lugs ofone side to simultaneously release a group of one number at apredetermined point, said means being movable into an inoperativeposition, similar means on the other side to engage and support saidlugs and to simultaneously release a group of the other number, saidsimilar means being movable to an inoperative position, a controlconnected to both of said supporting means to simultaneously move onesupporting means into operative position and the other out of operativeposition, drive means to drive said cross-feed device, a drive linkagebetween said drive means and said cross-feed device, transmission meansin said drive linkage having two predetermined speed ratios, and aclutch movable to engage the transmission means of one ratio and todisengage that of the other ratio, said clutch being operativelyconnected to said control to be operated thereby so that said device maydeposit a selectively predetermined number of articles at apredetermined rate of speed.

8. A cross-feed device suitable for feeding a plurality of objects inlinear alignment to a conveyor, said crossfeed comprising a devicehaving a pair of spaced endless chains positioned in parallel planes, aplurality of dough supporting members supported by and movable with saidpairs of chains, each of said dough supporting members being movablefrom a dough supporting position to a dough releasing position, saiddough supporting members having outwardly extending lugs on each side tohold said members in a dough supporting position when said lugs areengaged, the lugs on the one side of said members being staggered withrespect to the lugs of the other members in a group of a predeterminednumber, and the lugs on the other side being likewise staggered ingroups but of different number, means to engage and support the lugs ofone side to simultaneously release a group of one number at apredetermined point, said means being movable into an inoperativeposition, similar means on the other side to engage and support saidlugs and to simultaneously release a group of the other number, saidsimilar means being movable to an inoperative position,

and a control connected to both of said supporting means tosimultaneously move one supporting means into operative position and theother out of'operative position;

9. In combination with a conveyor for advancing a series of articles inlinear alignment, a cross-feed device to feed articles in saidtransverse linear alignment to said conveyor, said cross-feed comprisinga pair of spaced endless chains positioned in parallel planes extendingat right angles to the planes of the conveyor, at least one portion ofsaid chains extending above a portion of said conveyor, a plurality ofarticle supporting members supported by and movable with said pair ofchains, each of said article supporting members being movable from anarticle supporting position to an article releasing position, saidarticle supporting members having outwardly extending lugs on each sideto hold said members in an article supporting position when said lugsare engaged, the lugs on the one side of said members being staggeredwith respect to the lugs of the other members in a group of apredetermined number, and the lugs on the other side being likewisestaggered in groups of diiferent number, means to engage and support thefingers of one side to simultaneously release a group of one number at apredetermined point, said means'being movable into an inoperativeposition, means on the other side to engage and support said fingers tosimultaneously release members of the other numbered group, said meansbeing movable to an inoperative position, a control connected to both ofsaid supporting means to simultaneously move one supporting means intooperative position and the other out of operative position, and drivemeans to drive said cross-feed device and said conveyor.

10. The combination of a cross-feed device for conveying articles to aconveyor, said cross-feed'device comprising endless spaced chainspositioned in parallel planes extending at right angles to the plane ofthe conveyor with a portion of said chains extending above a portion ofthe conveyor, article supporting members suspended between said chains,means to deposit one by one articles into said dough supporting members,means to release a predetermined number or first amount of articles froma predetermined number of supporting members 'of the cross-feed deviceto the conveyor, other means to release a different predetermined numberor second amount of articles from said cross-feed device to saidconveyor, means to vary the relative rate of speed between saidcross-feed device and said conveyor as the proportion of the firstamount to the second amount, and further means to selectively employ oneor the other of said releasing means and simultaneously the respectiverate of speed.

11. A conveying device for advancing a plurality of objects in linearalignment and simultaneously delivering a predetermined number at adelivering station, said device comprising advancing mechanism foradvancing a plurality of article supporting members, each of saidarticle supporting members being movable on said advancing mechanismfrom an article supporting position to an article delivering position,said article supporting members having outwardly extending lugs on eachside to hold said members in an article supporting position when saidlugs are engaged, the lugs on the one side of said members beingstaggered with respect to the lugs of the other members in groups ofpredetermined number, the lugs on the other side being likewisestaggered in groups of a different number, means to engage and supportthe lugs of one side to simultaneously release a group of said onenumber at said station, said means being movable into an inoperativeposition,similar means on the other side to engage and support said lugsto simultaneously release a group of the other number, said similarmeans being movable to an inoperative position, and a control connectedto said means and said similar means to simultaneously move one of saidmeans into operative position and the other of said means out ofoperative position.

12. A conveying device "for advancing a plurality of objects in linearalignment and simultaneously delivering a predetermined number at adelivering station, said device comprising advancing mechanism foradvancing a plurality of article supporting members, each of saidarticle supporting members being movable on said advancing mechanismfrom an article supporting position to an article delivering position,said article supporting members having outwardly extending lugs on eachside to hold said members in an article supporting position when saidlugs are engaged, the lugs on the one side of said members beingstaggered with respect to the lugs of the other members in groups ofpredetermined number, the lugs on the other side being likewisestaggered in groups of a diflerent number, means to engage and supportthe lugs of one side to simultaneously release a group of said onenumber at said station, said means being movable into an inoperativeposition, similar means on the other side to engage and support saidlugs to simultaneously release a group of the other number,

said similar means being movable to an inoperative position, a controlconnected to said means and said similar means to simultaneously moveone of said means into operative position and the other of said meansout of operative position, drive means to drive said advancingmechanism, a drive linkage between said drive means and said advancingmechanism, transmission means in said drive linkage having twopredetermined speed ratios, and a shift member to engage saidtransmission means of one ratio and to disengage that of the otherratio, said shift member being operatively connected to said control tovary the speed ratios of said transmission in accordance with the meansselected by said control.

Baker et a1. June 8, 1920 Neaves Mar. 15, 1955

